Star Wars Trilogy (Widescreen Edition with Bonus Disc)

Product Description

Episode IV A New Hope Eighteen years later, Luke Skywalker, a young farm boy on Tatooine, is thrust into the struggle of the Rebel Alliance when he meets Obi-Wan Kenobi, who has lived for years in seclusion on the desert planet. Obi-Wan begins Luke's Jedi training as Luke joins him on a daring mission to rescue the beautiful Rebel leader Princess Leia from the clutches of the evil Empire. Although Obi-Wan sacrifices himself in a lightsabre duel with Darth Vader, his former apprentice, Luke proves that the Force is with him by destroying the Empire's dreaded Death Star. Episode V The Empire Strikes Back Three years later Imperial forces continue to pursue the Rebels. After the Rebellion's defeat on the ice planet Hoth, Luke journeys to the planet Dagobah to train with Jedi Master Yoda, who has lived in hiding since the fall of the Republic. In an attempt to convert Luke to the dark side, Darth Vader lures young Skywalker into a trap in the Cloud City of Bespin. In the midst of a fierce lightsaber duel with the Sith Lord, Luke faces the startling revelation that the evil Vader is in fact his father, Anakin Skywalker. Episode VI Return of the Jedi In the epic conclusion of the saga, the Empire prepares to crush the Rebellion with a more powerful Death Star while the Rebel fleet mounts a massive attack on the space station. Luke Skywalker confronts his father Darth Vader in a final climactic duel before the evil Emperor. In the last second, Vader makes a momentous choice: he destroys the Emperor and saves his son. The Empire is finally defeated, the Sith are destroyed, and Anakin Skywalker is thus redeemed. At long last, freedom is restored to the galaxy.

System Requirements:

Running Time 387 Min.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com essential video

Was George Lucas's Star Wars Trilogy, the most anticipated DVD release ever, worth the wait? You bet. It's a must-have for any home theater, looking great, sounding great, and supplemented by generous bonus features.

The Movies

The Star Wars Trilogy had the rare distinction of becoming a cultural phenomenon, a defining event for its generation. On its surface, George Lucas's story is a rollicking and humorous space fantasy that owes debts to more influences than one can count on two hands, but filmgoers became entranced by its basic struggle of good vs. evil "a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away," its dazzling special effects, and a mythology of Jedi knights, the Force, and droids. Over the course of three films--A New Hope (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Return of the Jedi (1983)--Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and the roguish Han Solo (Harrison Ford) join the Rebel alliance in a galactic war against the Empire, the menacing Darth Vader (David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones), and eventually the all-powerful Emperor (Ian McDiarmid). Empire is generally considered the best of the films and Jedi the most uneven, but all three are vastly superior to the more technologically impressive prequels that followed, Episode I, The Phantom Menace (1999) and Episode II, Attack of the Clones (2002).

How Are the Picture and Sound?

Thanks to a new digital transfer, you've never seen C-3PO glow so golden, and Darth Vader's helmet is as black as the Dark Side.

In a word, spectacular. Thanks to a new digital transfer, you've never seen C-3PO glow so golden, and Darth Vader's helmet is as black as the Dark Side. And at the climactic scene of A New Hope, see if the Dolby 5.1 EX sound doesn't knock you back in your chair. Other audio options are Dolby 2.0 Surround in English, Spanish, and French. (Sorry, DTS fans, but previous Star Wars DVDs didn't have DTS either.) There have been a few quibbles with the audio on A New Hope, however. A few seconds of Peter Cushing's dialogue ("Then name the system!") are distorted, and the music (but not the sound effects) is reversed in the rear channels. For example, in the final scene, the brass is in the front right channel but the back left channel (from the viewer's perspective), and the strings are in the left front and back right. The result feels like the instruments are crossing through the viewer.

What's Been Changed?
The rumors are true: Lucas made more changes to the films for their DVD debut. Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker) has been added to a scene in Jedi, Ian McDiarmid (the Emperor) replaces Clive Revill with slightly revised lines in Empire, Temuera Morrison has rerecorded Boba Fett's minimal dialogue, and some other small details have been altered. Yes, these changes mean that the Star Wars films are no longer the ones you saw 20 years ago, but these brief changes hardly affect the films, and they do make sense in the overall continuity of the two trilogies. It's not like a digitized Ewan McGregor has replaced Alec Guiness's scenes, and the infamous changes made for the 1997 special-edition versions were much more intrusive (of course, those are in the DVD versions as well).

How Are the Bonus Features?

Toplining is Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy, a 150-minute documentary incorporating not only the usual making-of nuts and bolts but also the political workings of the movie studios and the difficulties Lucas had getting his vision to the screen (for example, after resigning from the Directors' Guild, he lost his first choice for director of Jedi: Steven Spielberg). It's a little adulatory, but it has plenty to interest any fan. The three substantial featurettes are "The Characters of Star Wars" (19 min.), which discusses the development of the characters we all know and love, "The Birth of the Lightsaber" (15 min.), about the creation and evolution of a Jedi's ultimate weapon, and "The Force Is with Them: The Legacy of Star Wars" (15 min.), in which filmmakers such as Peter Jackson, Ridley Scott, and James Cameron talk about how they and the industry were affected by the films and Lucas's technological developments in visual effects, sound, and computer animation.

The bonus features are excellent and along the same lines as those created for The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones. Each film has a commentary track, recorded by Lucas, Ben Burtt (sound design), Dennis Muren (visual effects), and Carrie Fisher, with Irvin Kershner joining in on the film he directed, The Empire Strikes Back. Recorded separately and skillfully edited together (with supertitles to identify who is speaking), the tracks lack the energy of group commentaries, but they're enjoyable and informative, with a nice mix of overall vision (Lucas), technical details (Burtt, Muren, Kershner), and actor's perspective (Fisher). Interestingly, they discuss some of the 1997 changes (Mos Eisley creatures, the new Jabba the Hutt scene) but not those made for the DVDs.

There's also a sampler of the Xbox game Star Wars: Battlefront, which lets the player reenact classic film scenarios (blast Ewoks in the battle of Endor!); trailers and TV spots from the films' many releases; and a nine-minute preview of the last film in the series, Episode III, Revenge of the Sith (here identified by an earlier working title, The Return of Darth Vader). Small extra touches include anamorphic widescreen motion menus with dialogue, original poster artwork on the discs, and a whopping 50 chapter stops for each film.

"The Force Is Strong with This One"
The Star Wars Trilogy is an outstanding DVD set that lives up to the anticipation. There will always be resentment that the original versions of the films are not available as well, but George Lucas maintains that these are the versions he always wanted to make. If fans are able to put this debate aside, they can enjoy the adventures of Luke, Leia, and Han for years to come. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

One of the Best...Ever.......2007-09-04

The Star Wars Trilogy is still one of the best trilogies ever made. Three of the best movies ever produced. Wonderful and took the world by storm in the late seventies. A cultural icon that propelled George Lucas into stardom.

The magic is still here 30 years later. I don't care if you don't like them or not, you owe it to yourself to watch these movies. I did and I loved them.

Each movie features a commentary track with a number of people. The Bonus Disc features a few documentaries and featurettes I suggest that all fans should view.

Highly recommended.

Star fest.......2007-09-02

Compelling space saga with charismatic heroes, comely heroine and superb, creepy villain. State of the art (at the time) special effects. The work of a master movie maker. Kudos!

What can you say - Star Wars Trilogy is great.......2007-08-29

What can you say - Star Wars Trilogy is great.

Sure the acting is subpower in all the Star Wars movies IMHO. But the story line is awesome.

The "Not Quite So" Original Trilogy Finally Hits DVD.......2007-08-16

It's hard to believe that it's been only 30 years since the original Star Wars (now known as Star Wars- Episode IV- A New Hope) was released, thus changing the movie industry as we know it. Sure, Jaws is considered the "original" summer blockbuster, but it was Star Wars which introduced the concept of a larger-than-life, over-the-top movie that wasn't based on a Biblical story, which would resonate with the public in a massive way. Indeed, Star Wars may have been indirectly responsible for the decision to revive Star Trek, as science fiction and fantasy suddenly became a viable commercial proposition. After letting the original trilogy languish on VHS and laserdisc for years, George Lucas finally relented, and released this DVD boxed set in 2004, which includes all 3 movies and a bonus disc. However, these aren't exactly the movies people might remember from long ago, which I'll get to in a bit.

If you're a newcomer to Star Wars, I'll try to cut to the chase about what made these movies special with the Reader's Digest version. A young filmmaker from California, having had some modest success with his coming-of-age nostalgia flick "American Graffiti", decided he wanted to make a movie based on the old "Flash Gordon" serials. Finding that the rights had already been taken by someone else, Lucas decided to instead make his own sci-fi/fantasy story, and forged a vast array of influences, including "The Lord of the Rings", Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa's feudal epics, 1930s serials (such as "Flash Gordon"), World War 2 movies, and much more, into what would become Star Wars. The creation of the original Star Wars was plagued by problems, including financial problems, a general lack of faith by some crew members, encroaching deadlines, hostile weather, and Lucas's own near-breakdown from the strain. Lucas's team had to literally invent new types of special effects in order to avoid a "Plan 9 From Outer Space"-type disaster. When the movie was finally released, cast members actually did a double take, as their experience during the filming never indicated that the result would be so incredibly dynamic. "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" both served to expand the scope of the Star Wars universe, and solidified the series as what Joseph Campbell would term "modern day myth".

"A New Hope" establishes the main characters and the primary struggles of the original trilogy, some of which already have been introduced to some degree by the subsequent prequel films. Droids R2D2 and C3PO escape a besieged ship carrying a rebel leader, Leia Organa, and end up on the desert planet of Tattooine, while Leia is captured by the Empire's sinister Darth Vader. When the droids are bought by Luke Skywalker's aunt and uncle, Luke finds that R2D2 is carrying the plans to the Empire's gigantic and deadly space station, the Death Star. Recruited by Obi-Wan (Ben) Kenobi, a former Jedi Knight and master of the mystical "Force", Luke and company engage the services of rogue space pilot Han Solo and his furry Wookie co-pilot Chewbacca to try to get to Alderaan. From there, the film builds up to a climactic battle over the Death Star as our heroes get into one sticky situation after another. There's a reason that this movie defined the "event movie" from that point on: off the cuff, natural delivery of dialogue, fantastic special effects, creation of a living imaginary world, and very effective, if archetyped, characters. In Lucas' latest tinkering for , he tries to half-way amend for the "Greedo shoots first" gaffe of the Special Edition version, by having both Han Solo and Greedo shoot at almost the same time. While this won't appease everyone, it's still enough to keep the scene from looking silly (as was the case with the Special Edition edit). The crude computer effects from the Special Edition are also touched up, resulting in Jabba appearing much less like a crude, mid '90s Playstation cutscene relic.

"The Empire Strikes Back" picks up months after the original film, with Vader, who survived, obsessed with finding Luke, who along with Leia, Han, and a contingent of Rebels, is hiding on the frozen world of Hoth. Luke, after surviving a near-death experience at the hands of a monster, is told by the spirit of Kenobi to seek the Jedi Master Yoda in order to master the Force. Unfortunately, Vader's massive fleet has located the Rebels, and launches an attack on Hoth. In the confusion, Han, Chewie, C3PO and Leia are chased by the Empire across space, while Luke trains under Yoda on the swamp world of Dagobah. Eventually, Luke confronts Vader in a dramatic duel, where he learns a terrible fact about their true relationship, while Han and Leia fall in love, but are tragically separated. "Empire" is cited by most fans as their favorite, perhaps in part due to not only the darker tone of the movie, but also due to the fact that it truly expanded the scope of the Star Wars universe. Most of the changes made in this movie are minor cosmetic changes, with the exception of the re-dubbing of bounty hunter Boba Fett's voice (by Temura Morrison, who played Jango Fett and the clones in the prequels), and a partial reshoot of Vader talking to the Emperor, with Ian McDiarmid being inserted in this scene with revised dialogue.

"Return of the Jedi" begins with an extended sequence detailing Luke and Leia's rescue of Han from Jabba on Tattooine. When all is said and done, our heroes emerge victorious, but find themselves facing a much bigger conflict. The Rebel Alliance has found that a new Death Star is being built, and that the Emperor himself is overseeing the construction. Luke and friends are tasked with destroying the protective shield generator on the forest world of Endor, but find themselves walking into a trap, while the Rebel fleet finds itself cornered by the Empire. In the end, Luke must confront Vader and the Emperor, and take on the role of the last Jedi. Of all the original trilogy movies, this one suffered the most from Lucas' tinkering, in the form of the horrid "Jedi Rocks" musical sequence. Incredibly, Lucas is apparently blind to how hated this "Muppet Show" sequence is, and has not altered it, or restored the original version of the scene. The other major controversy in this version is the removal of Sebastian Shaw from the final shot of the "Force ghosts" at the end, and the insertion of Hayden Christiansen, who played Anakin Skywalker in the prequels. This change is nowhere near as unforgiveable as keeping "Jedi Rocks", which came this close to making the movie unwatchable. While the film itself is the weakest of the three, with Harrison Ford sometimes pretty much phoning in his performance, "Jedi" still ends on a positive note, and wraps up the whole saga nicely, if a bit abruptly.

All changes aside, the video quality is pretty good, although you can sometimes see blatant matte effect squares around TIE fighters in "A New Hope". Lucasfilm was meticulous about removing dirt and age effects from the films as much as possible. In terms of extras, the bonus disc includes a number of short features, and a definitive Star Wars documentary titled "Empire of Dreams". The commentary tracks for the movies are entertaining and pretty informative, being certainly more dynamic and insightful than much of the commentary for the prequels. The audio is also pretty good, although the actual sound quality in "A New Hope" is markedly duller and more muffled than in any of the other Star Wars movies (either an unfortunate byproduct of the original masters degrading, or of the equipment used circa 1977). The simple truth is that, unless you are someone who dislikes any kind of speculative fiction/fantasy movies, you must have this in your collection. I should note that Lucasfilm re-released the Original Trilogy in 2006 in a collector's format, containing both the current versions and the "pre-Special Edition" versions of the movies. However, this is more costly, and the "original unaltered" versions of the movies were not properly cleaned up or adapted for the DVD format, so for the less hardcore fans, you'll be fine with the 2004 boxed set.

Star Wars Trilogy- Full Screen + Bonus Disc.......2007-08-10

Product arrived quickly and is in great condition! Our whole family loves it! Would order from this company again.

The Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland Collection (Babes in Arms / Babes on Broadway / Girl Crazy / Strike Up the Band)

Average customer rating:

Why not more stereo?
Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland Collection
Fantastic! Finally
Beauty
About Time

The Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland Collection (Babes in Arms / Babes on Broadway / Girl Crazy / Strike Up the Band)
Starring: Mickey Rooney , and Judy Garland
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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Comedy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Drama | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

ASIN: B000RT99FG
Release Date: 2007-09-25

Customer Reviews:

Why not more stereo?.......2007-09-04

Been looking forward to a "Girl Crazy" DVD for years, but I'm disappointed that only one number will be issued in stereo. I recorded the film off the air years ago and replaced the soundtrack of all the numbers with the stereo versions from the Rhino CD, and it's amazing! Watching this film with all the numbers in stereo is really a joy - why couldn't WB Video have done the same thing and given us the option of watching it in stereo or mono? A big missed opportunity.

Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland Collection.......2007-08-29

Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland are one of hollywood's winning pairing of two great stars. These musicals are very enjoyable to view. Great entertainment that will never be duplicated.

Fantastic! Finally.......2007-07-19

The first review was extremely thorough in your comments. One correction however, the first Mickey/July flick was actually "Thoroughbreds don't cry"

Beauty.......2007-07-12

yes!. About time. The wonderful music in these films are worth it by themselves, Great actors in Mickey Rooney and Judy garland.
Great escapism from a serious world.
Wonderful!

About Time.......2007-07-03

I too, have been waiting a long time for this. THANK YOU to follow-up reviewers for pointing out I was wrong about Mickey and Judy's first pairing. It was NOT "Love Finds Andy Hardy", it was "Thoroughbreds Don't Cry". I also second the reviewer who asks that the Hardy films need to be on DVD. Judy was only the best triple threat (dancer, singer, actor) in the history of the universe. HOWEVER, I stand by my assertion about her mother getting Judy hooked on pills. Sure the studio played a part, but her mother was the one feeding them to her.... Judy might still be alive.

Gandhi (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

a majestic masterpiece.........
A treasure to own
Beautiful Film
Watched this when
Gandhi

Gandhi (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Ben Kingsley , Candice Bergen , Edward Fox , John Gielgud , and Trevor Howard
Director: Richard Attenborough
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000KX0IOA
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Amazon.com

Sir Richard Attenborough's 1982 multiple-Oscar winner (including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for Ben Kingsley) is an engrossing, reverential look at the life of Mohandas K. Gandhi, who introduced the doctrine of nonviolent resistance to the colonized people of India and who ultimately gained the nation its independence. Kingsley is magnificent as Gandhi as he changes over the course of the three-hour film from an insignificant lawyer to an international leader and symbol. Strong on history (the historic division between India and Pakistan, still a huge problem today, can be seen in its formative stages here) as well as character and ideas, this is a fine film. --Tom Keogh

Stills from Gandhi (click for larger image)

Beyond Gandhi on Amazon.com

Other Oscar Winners at Oscar Central
More Biographies on DVD
The Films of Ben Kingsley

Description

A critical masterpiece, GANDHI is an intriguing story about activism, politics, religious tolerance and freedom. But at the center of it all is an extraor- dinary man who fought for a nonviolent, peaceful existence, and set an entire nation free. Winner of 8 Academy Awards® including Best Picture, Best Director (Lord Richard Attenborough) and Best Actor (Sir Ben Kingsley), GANDHI's highly acclaimed cast also includes Candice Bergen, Edward Fox, Sir John Gielgud, Roshan Seth and Martin Sheen.

The extras include more than 90 minutes of new material, including interviews with director Lord Richard Attenborough; actors Geraldine James, Saeed Jaffrey, and Edward Fox; Diana Hawkins (Director of Publicity), Terry Clegg (Executive in charge of production), Billy Williams (Cinematographer) and Stuart Craig (Production Designer). The DVD includes a Director's commentary with Attenborough, who also filmed a personal introduction to the film. The featurettes include In Search of Gandhi, Reflections on Ben, Madeleine Slade: An Englishwoman Abroad, The Funeral, Shooting an Epic In India, Looking Back, Designing Gandhi (3 mini featurettes) and From the Director's Chair (2 mini featurettes).

Customer Reviews:

a majestic masterpiece................2007-09-09

GANDHI is nothing short of a beautiful work of cinematic art. Director Lord Richard Attenborough beautifully recounts the life of the late, great Mahatma Ghandi. His journey as an aspiring young lawyer in South Africa is forever changed when he is thrown off of a train for being a "kaffir" (a pejorative term for dark-complected South Africans). It was then that he realized just how biased the laws were against Indians, and, thus, began his life long dedication to non-violent protest as well as working as a proponent of the campaign to emancipate India from the oppressive British rule.

Ben Kingsley beautifully portrays the title character and won a well-deserved Academy Award for his performance. The cinematography is gorgeous, the supporting cast works great together as an ensemble, and the production truly honors Gandhi and his message. This film is one of the most important historically-based biographical films out there. See this today.

A treasure to own.......2007-08-26

I was born many decades after the Mahatma's passing, and was privileged to see this picture when it premiered in our town in India. I bought the DVD so my children could learn of the man who played a central role in setting India free.

It is in some sense, entirely befitting that the movie was made by a Britisher, and an actor of British/Indian origin in the lead role. Other reviwers have complained of a bias -- I see none, except perhaps a bias towards the deification of Gandhi. I would have liked to see more of the human side of the Mahatma in the movie.

The DVD has been beautifully mastered, and plays very well on an HDTV. It definitely has a place in the library of anyone else interested in the impact of Gandhi's principles on history.

Beautiful Film.......2007-08-24

The film opens with Gandhi's assassination. The next scene, his funeral, is one of the greatest scenes in cinematic history. Attenborough managed to recreate Gandhi's funeral on January 31st, 1981, the 33rd anniversary of the actual funeral. It is estimated that nearly 400,000 people were on hand to be a part of the filming the recreation. This film was made before CGI, so the funeral scene is probably the last live action crowd of that magnitude that will ever be filmed.

Chronicling the rich, unforgettable life of a one Mohandas K. "Mahatma" Gandhi - played to shocking perfection by the wonderful Sir Ben Kingsley -this is a film that I can say really, deeply affected me with its power, its scale, and of course, its timeless message of love and non-violence. As a matter of fact, ever since I first saw the film, and became much more aware of the back story, I can also say that Gandhi is now one of my biggest role models in life. I cannot fully express how much this great man's way of thinking - his words, his struggles, his accomplishments - has affected my own.

Ben Kingsley played Gandhi. He was the perfect for the role. He resembled the real Gandhi. He was young enough to portray Gandhi as a young man. He is a British actor that nailed the British influenced Indian accent. He is a wonderful actor that was patient and humble with such an important part. And he was a relatively unknown actor at the time, so the "big-time actor" persona did not get in the way of viewing the film.

No other film biography I ever have seen works so well. It will stand the test of time and inform multiple generations.

Watched this when .......2007-08-14

I was younger and was bored out of my mind. Watched it this evening and was enthralled. A very good film about Gandhi. Excellent movie showing the truth about his life and struggle to bring independence to India and freedom to humans.

Gandhi.......2007-07-06

The multiple-Oscar-winning "Gandhi" explores the life and principles of an extraordinary man who became an enduring example of holiness, humility, and humane resistance. Ben Kingsley inhabits his role with saintly authority, brilliantly conveying Gandhi's charisma and unwavering courage, while Candice Bergen (as photographer Margaret Bourke-White) and John Gielgud (as Lord Irwin) also shine in their respective roles. Melodramatic epic sequences--especially the Salt March and massacre scenes, which required Attenborough to direct 300,000 extras--are handled with graceful verisimilitude. A deeply moving, masterful epic.

Star Wars Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980 & 2004 Versions, 2-Disc Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

original Star Wars (episode V) on DVD
No thanks
George, if it ain't broke, don't fix it! Rated ***(**)
Good Movie
Wonderful!!!!!!!

Star Wars Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980 & 2004 Versions, 2-Disc Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Mark Hamill , Harrison Ford , Carrie Fisher , Billy Dee Williams , and Anthony Daniels
Director: Irvin Kershner
Manufacturer: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000FQJAJG
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Amazon.com

The 2006 limited-edition two-disc release of The Empire Strikes Back is not only the first time the movie has been officially available by itself on DVD. It marks the first-ever DVD release of Empire as it originally played in theaters in 1980. What does that mean exactly? The film is without the various "improvements" and enhancements George Lucas added for the theatrical rerelease in 1997 as well as the DVD premiere in 2004. So no more of Ian McDiarmid (the Emperor) replacing Clive Revill with slightly revised lines, or Temuera Morrison rerecording of Boba Fett's minimal dialogue.

What do you lose by watching the 1980 version? Dolby Digital 5.1 EX sound, for one thing (only 2.0 Surround here), and digital cleanup. But for home-theater owners, the biggest frustration will be from the non-anamorphic picture. On a widescreen TV, an anamorphically enhanced (16x9) picture at a 2.35:1 aspect ratio will fill the screen with the exception of small black bars on the top and bottom. The original edition of Empire, however, on a widescreen TV will have large black bars on the top, the bottom, and the sides unless you stretch the picture (and distort it in the process, especially considering the substandard picture quality). If you're watching on a standard square-shaped (4:3) TV, though, you won't notice a difference.

Yes, it's true that serious home-theater lovers who want spectacular sound and anamorphically enhanced picture can always watch the 2004 version of the movie also included in this set. But chances are good that they already picked up the trilogy edition of all three films, so their decision to buy the 2006 two-disc edition depends on how much they want the original film. The official LucasFilm stance is that this is an individual release of the 2004 version of The Empire Strikes Back, and the 1980 version of the film is merely a "bonus feature." Common speculation is that the only reason the original versions are seeing the official light of day at all is to undercut the booming black market for the laserdisc version. Star Wars fans will have to decide for themselves if that's worth the purchase. --David Horiuchi

Description

For the first time ever and for a limited time only, the enhanced versions of the Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi will be available individually on DVD. Plus, these 2-Disc DVD's will feature a bonus disc that includes, for the first time ever on DVD, the original films as seen in theaters in 1977, 1980 and 1983.

Customer Reviews:

original Star Wars (episode V) on DVD.......2007-09-06

I'm very excited to own the original Star Wars series on DVD. I'm a huge fan of the series, but I'm also a purist who prefers the un-tweaked versions of episodes IV, V, and VI. So I am tickled that Lucas finally released them on DVD, and I'm excited to own them at last.

No thanks.......2007-07-18

If you want the original Cinema release, without subsequent digital 'enhancements' do not buy this DVD.

The original version is in 2.35:1 letter box (which is fine as that was the original cinema aspect ratio) within a 4:3 picture frame (why???). This means that you not only get letter boxing top and bottom but also right and left. So if you've still got an old 4:3 ratio TV this will be OK (and thats all), but for those of us with widescreen TV's this means you either have to watch a tiny 4:3 image or use your TV's zoom facility to get the original 2.35:1 aspect ratio. However if you do this you are reducing quality, and as many other reviewers have pointed out this isn't the greatest transfer anyway.

If you're happy with the digitally enhanced anamorphic version then go ahead and buy. However, if like me you want the original untouched movie as released at the cinema forget it. Happily I haven't spent a penny to find this out!

George, if it ain't broke, don't fix it! Rated ***(**).......2007-06-08

I agree with any of a number of previous reviewers: Would somebody PLEASE take STAR WARS away from George Lucas before he ruins it completely?

Like Francis Ford Coppola, who messed with THE GODFATHER trilogy over and over again trying to "perfect" it, Lucas keeps coming back to the original STAR WARS trilogy and adding enhanced effects and formerly deleted scenes.

In what is now known as STAR WARS EPISODE V: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, (let me catch my breath a minute, please), Lucas decided to "enhance" the film by inserting extra dialogue in several scenes, apparently in order to strengthen the film's connection to the prequels. He should have done it the other way around when Episodes I, II, and III were first released. This attempt at backward compatibility just proves that time travelers should never try to change the past. Fortunately, the changes aren't jarring.

Lucas also decided to expand the scenes with the Wampa Ice Creature on Hoth. These changes ARE jarring. The updated Ice Creature doesn't look anything like the original, and the quick intercuts don't hide the disparity. The fact that Lucas chose to "improve" the creature despite having to retain the original footage doesn't demonstrate his creativity, it demonstrates his hubris. Why not just replicate the original? Clearly, his desire to make the change overrode any considerations of film continuity and audience expectations.

This is the kind of thinking that brought us the ridiculous Jar-Jar Binks and his race of Rastafari amphibians in THE PHANTOM MENACE. George Lucas isn't really trying to give us a better cinematic experience, he's just totally into playing with his favorite toys. It's a form of selfishness.

The same goes for the rest of his changes. Lucas decided to make the battle scene explosions more "dramatic," do a score of other little tweaks, and clean up the print. Lucas has done this so many times over the past three decades that it's now impossible to figure out which film is the "real" THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

Of all the questionable "improvements" he's made, cleaning up the print is the only worthwhile effort. Most of the added scenes add nothing to the film, the "extra" dialogue is interesting but unnecessary, and some of the changes (like the Wampa Ice Creature) actually degrade the movie.

Fortunately, this two-disc set contains the original theatrical release with all the nicks and imperfections it was born with. The print's a bit dim, and the special effects are showing their limitations after twenty-seven years, but this is THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK that will remain THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. It is what it is, and it never needed changes. Given the immense amount of material that has grown up around STAR WARS since it was first released, Lucas would have been smarter to release one or the other or both versions as he did, but added an Extras disc with all kinds of "The Making Of.." and "The Legacy Of..." goodies. I was disappointed that this isn't that set.

I was twenty when THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK debuted in 1980. At age 20, this now-classic movie became and remains a favorite of mine. It is arguably the best of the six STAR WARS films, because it takes the STAR WARS universe completely out of the realm of pulp science fiction. The appearance of Yoda and his Zen-like philosophy of The Force changes the entire tenor of the sextology. The Force ceases to be a kind of parlor magic useful for tricking Imperial Stormtroopers and becomes a form of bushido. The Jedi become Samurai, imbued with all of that caste's Warrior Ethos.

I never became a "Jedihead" (the original tag for the STAR WARS version of a Trekkie), but I did become a student of Zen and the martial arts. My personal decision was not at all made because of STAR WARS, but the films certainly brought such concepts into the mainstream consciousness.

The STAR WARS films are not CITIZEN KANE IN OUTER SPACE. Overall, they are not "great" films, but they are true "classics." THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK in particular engages the viewer. Entertaining, exciting, and yet contemplative, the film makes you want to keep coming back for more, the true basis of success and the core of meaningfulness for any story.

The STAR WARS universe is clearly derivative. THE LORD OF THE RINGS has a "Dark Lord." STAR WARS has a "Dark Lord of the Sith." Lightsabers are yet another nod to the film's Sword & Sorcery roots. Yoda is a short green Sensei, straight out of the 1970s TV show KUNG FU. STAR WARS' "Corellians" appear in Isaac Asimov's FOUNDATION as "Korellians", and "Han Solo" is also there as "Hari Seldon." The space war elements are a mishmash of STAR TREK, FORBIDDEN PLANET, AMAZING STORIES, pulp fiction, and a hundred other sources. George Lucas was able to take these well-used pieces and combine them into something that is both very original and yet archetypal.

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK carries the sci-fi retelling of the Mythos of the young Hero a step farther. Having been initiated into the Mysteries by Obi-Wan, Luke is now called upon to take up the discipline his craft requires. Immature and impatient, he ignores his Master Yoda's advice, and makes his own determination that his training is complete. However, he is unready, unready to face his external enemy (Darth Vader), and unready to face his even more potent internal enemy (his own impulses toward the Dark Side).

Classic mythic elements abound: Luke has a mysterious birth, a hidden twin, and a direct blood link to the Evil he is trying to overcome (as the son of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader). He suffers a horrific wound (the loss of his hand), is forced to face the Darkness within himself, and must decide how to confront his Enemy who is also his Dark Father.

A far more sophisticated story than the straight-ahead STAR WARS, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK is so mythic and archetypal that it suffers none of the "beginner's jitters" of A NEW HOPE. Although the first film had some really bad acting by the background characters and a few missed beats here and there, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK brings forth the best from all the cast (including even Yoda who, despite his very real humanity, is, after all, a puppet). The story sustains itself through it all.

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK even survives Lucas's post-theatrical obsessive-compulsive changes to remain a modern classic.

FIVE STARS FOR "THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK", THREE STARS FOR LUCAS' "IMPROVED" VERSION.

Good Movie.......2007-05-12

I have the whole series of the Star Wars movies and I enjoy them very much.

Wonderful!!!!!!!.......2007-05-11

This is an master piece and one should watch it. The star war series is a must have. Love the story and the way the film draws your attention...Love the cast.

Average customer rating:

Stunning combination of modern savvy and historical spicy
The suffragettes were never better
Iron Jwaed Angels
Iron Jawed Angels
Strong film about a very Historic Era

Iron Jawed Angels
Starring: Hilary Swank , Margo Martindale , Anjelica Huston , Frances O'Connor (II) , and Lois Smith
Director: Katja von Garnier
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00026L9CU
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Amazon.com

The fight for women's voting rights has rarely been given as dramatic a treatment as in Iron Jawed Angels. Hilary Swank (Boys Don't Cry) and Frances O'Connor (Mansfield Park) star as second-wave suffragettes Alice Paul and Lucy Burns, who led the final fight for the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. Though the movie sometimes tries too hard to avoid the stigma of a period piece (the soundtrack features electric guitars, Swank has a steamy moment in a bathtub, and the editing is jagged and flashy), the mounting energy of the fight--and the increasingly nasty opposition--gains real momentum when a wartime picket line leads to Paul, Burns, and their sisters-in-arms being arrested on trumped-up charges and imprisoned. The actors--including Julia Ormond (Smilla's Sense of Snow), Angelica Huston (Prizzi's Honor, The Grifters), and Brooke Smith (Vanya on 42nd Street)--give fervent, determined performances. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Oscar-winner Hilary Swank stars in a fresh and contemporary look at a pivotal event in American history, telling the true story of how a pair of defiant and brilliant young activists took the women's suffrage movement by storm, putting their lives at risk to help American women win the right to vote.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:With Director Katja von Garnier and writer Sally Robinson
Featurette
Other:HBO Films Spot

Customer Reviews:

Stunning combination of modern savvy and historical spicy.......2007-08-06

Although some reviewers may argue for the small historical inaccuracies in the movie (the music, the clothing, Alice Paul's romance with the cartoonist, etc), the overall purpose of the film is not historical accuracy. It is to portray the last era of suffragettes (Alice Paul, Lucy Burns, Carrie Chapman Catt) in a modern light, to show that despite what many think, the past was just as multicolored and vibrant as the lives we live today. Indeed, it is a sobering thought that just one hundred years ago, long after the Revolutionary and Civil Wars were fought, women did not have the right to vote and were told to stay home. This film shows the sacrifices that women in the past have made so that finally everyone, men and women, are able to vote in the United States of America.

The suffragettes were never better.......2007-06-12

Just when you thought nobody could make an interesting and funny and compelling film version of the women's movement, along comes this picture.
It blends funky camera movements with stellar performances (watch out for Frances O'Connor) and songs by Lauryn Hill and Sarah Mclachlan that are a shocking but fitting surprise.
The movie can be gritty at times (the scenes in prison) and frustrating (watching these women's struggles) but it is very rewarding in the end. If you care at all about this time in history (or about women's history in general), you'll be grinning by the end of this movie.
The friendships and the hardships and the difficult decisions these women shared are depicted and acted like it's rarely been seen before.
I highly recommend this movie. It is edifying, stylistically different, realistic, and it has the added virtue of being entertaining and of making people care. It makes you wanna get up and go vote.

Iron Jwaed Angels.......2007-06-08

This movie is excellent. I am a high school social studies teacher. Iron Jawed Angels' is great for teaching the 19th Amendment and during March (Women's History Month). This movie is required viewing for my students. I have designed questions and reflective discussion groups around the movie.

Iron Jawed Angels.......2007-06-06

A riveting portrayal of Alice Paul and the women's struggle while demanding the right to vote. When I first saw this movie, it completely blew me away and I loved every moment of it (excluding the unnecessary romance and masturbation scene - but hey, it is from HBO). However, upon watching it again I find more problems with it as a feminist as well as from a filming standpoint. A lot of poor shots that attempt to recreate the action impact ideology that is so attached to American film. Definitely worth a watch if you get the chance.

Strong film about a very Historic Era.......2007-05-27

Throughout time, history has proven itself to fill our imaginations with stories of perseverance and determination, only to find ourselves repeating the life lessons of our ancestors over and over again. Occasionally, an exceptional example to the contrary occurs, as we see in the woman's suffrage movement of the early 20th century. Iron Jawed Angels, HBO's dramatic and emotionally stirring fictional account of the trial and tribulations endured by the women activists involved in this fight, is a film that does just that. Released on DVD in the fall of 2004, the film reveals in the battle between traditonal culture and values, and a new class of bravado and progressivism that has endured for years benefiting both past and future activists of equal rights.

The film stars Hilary Swank as Alice Paul, a young defiant yet charismatic woman growing up in a time when most would rather see her role as a bright, contemporary leader regulated to cleaning the house and making the families dinner. Swank does neither, as we see her embark on a drama filled journey of conflict and betrayal to secure the voting rights for American woman and witness the pain and hardship all women involved in this movement are forced to endure. The film builds on this as it concludes with her quest finally ending with the passing of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution on August 26th, 1920.

At times, I did feel like I was given an intermission of sorts, as we witness theme transformations and plot deviations in the form of a less than stellar romance involving Swanks lead character and a widowed but determined Washington Post editor brilliantly portrayed by Patrick Dempsey. Francis O'Connor plays the remarkably likable but slightly vulnerable Lucy Burns, a sidekick of sorts who revels in the day she herself can settle down for marriage and a family to call her own. Legendary film veteran Angelica Houston tops off the films honors with her excellent and riveting portrayal of the leader of the National Woman's Suffrage Organization.
An excellent example of how everyday woman can bring about change and optimism in modern day society, I felt enlightened and somewhat motivated after viewing Iron Jawed Angels. Questions I had about the treatment of the activists had been answered, for I had no idea why Swank and her cohorts had been labeled the `Iron Jawed Angels' before seeing the film. Witnessing a scene in which Swank is held down in a confinement chair while forcibly feed liquid nourishment as to combat her fasting crusade and avoid a martyrdom, I now had a new found understanding of what it meant to truly dig in and fight for your beliefs.

Interestingly enough, discussions in my college Modern American History class that I've had the opportunity to be involved in have really helped in my understanding of how events of the past, even some that may seem trivial in comparison to modern day conflict, can take hold and shape how a culture looks at itself for generations to come. Minority based civil rights of the 1960's would prove a keen example of this, as African Americans could look into the past for one of the first times in our nations history and find role models in the woman that suffered unspeakable defiance in the face of ever changing and turbulent times.

Had it not been for the courage and determination of Alice Paul and Lucy Burns, along with hundreds if not thousands of other woman activists that held their ground and fought for suffrage rights, I believe that America would be less of a nation, one still involved in disagreement and inner turmoil over equal rights regardless of gender. Thank God for these women of the past that made history.

The Pink Panther Film Collection (The Pink Panther / A Shot in the Dark / Strikes Again / Revenge of / Trail)

Average customer rating:

Comedy, Pure and Simple
Hilarious!
Review of The Pink Panther Film Collection
Purchased as a gift
Pink Panther Film Collecton

The Pink Panther Film Collection (The Pink Panther / A Shot in the Dark / Strikes Again / Revenge of / Trail)
Starring: David Niven , Peter Sellers , Robert Wagner , Capucine , and Brenda De Banzie
Director: Blake Edwards
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001AG01M
Release Date: 2004-04-06

Amazon.com essential video

Cue the Henry Mancini music and watch out for Cato--the gist of the Pink Panther series has been gathered in a six-disc boxed set. At the center of it is Peter Sellers's incarnation of inspector Jacques Clouseau, a hopelessly bumbling detective with a genius for resting his hands in the wrong place (on the surface of a spinning globe, for instance) and mangling the English language.

Writer-director Blake Edwards cast Peter Ustinov as Clouseau in The Pink Panther, but Ustinov dropped out just before shooting began. Edwards (who recounts this story in a spotty commentary track included here) and Sellers bonded over their affection for Laurel and Hardy, and immediately transformed the character of Clouseau into a walking sight gag. The first film has a delicious swinging sixties vibe, while jewel thief David Niven, Claudia Cardinale, and Capucine occupy as much screen time as Sellers. Sellers really hits his stride in A Shot in the Dark, an elegantly funny tale of Clouseau sleuthing out a murder investigation. This one introduced Herbert Lom, as the increasingly frazzled Inspector Dreyfus, and Burt Kwouk, as Clouseau's houseboy-nemesis Cato. Sellers and Edwards, whose relationship was stormy, put Clouseau aside for over 10 years, until a trilogy of mid-1970s comedies restored the character to commercial (and dare we say cultural) primacy.

Unfortunately, the very funny comeback picture, Return of the Pink Panther, is absent from this set due to rights issues with the studios involved. The Pink Panther Strikes Again has Dreyfus going bananas and targeting Clouseau; Revenge of the Pink Panther puts Clouseau in a hilarious series of disguises, climaxing in a wonderfully mounted sequence in Hong Kong. (Throughout the series, the calm, classical staging of gags by Blake Edwards reminds you of what a lost art this has become.) Trail of the Pink Panther looks better now than it did when originally released in 1982, shortly after Sellers's death; it's a batch of unused Sellers routines from previous pictures, strung together with a loose plot. In other words, it's a "deleted scenes" extra, and quite funny at times.

Subsequent efforts Curse of the Pink Panther and Son of the Pink Panther are neither included nor mentioned. A half-hour documentary gives pleasant memories from Edwards, but feels incomplete. The cartoon Panther gets his own 11-minute mini-doc, plus six cartoon shorts including the Oscar-winning "The Pink Phink." --Robert Horton

Description

Disc 1: THE PINK PANTHER Disc 2: REVENGE OF THE PINK PANTHER Disc 3: THE PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN Disc 4: A SHOT IN THE DARK Disc 5: TRAIL OF THE PINK PANTHER Disc 6: BONUS DISC

Customer Reviews:

Comedy, Pure and Simple.......2007-07-26

Let me start by saying, I agree with some of the other reviewers; Peter Sellers is the Pink Panthers movies. So any Panther movie not including Sellers should not be included here. These are all classics, and Sellers plays our bumbling, intrepid Chief Inspector like no other has the right to try. These are great for the laugh and there is actually (gasp) something resembling a story line here. Buy this set, watch them, and prepare to laugh.

Hilarious!.......2007-05-09

Just 4 stars. The missing one is for the missing "The Return of the Pink Panther (1974)". If you are looking for extreme and healthy fun, no one could it be better than Sellers to pop ups your laughings, he was great doing any role. This is a delicious collection, just improve the one buying the missing "..return", and of course..."The Party"

Review of The Pink Panther Film Collection.......2007-01-17

It is absolutely first class entertainment. It is intelligent, witty, silly, "classy" - something we rarely achieve these days. Gather your family and give them an education in how to develop a keen sense of humor or, even better, invite your friends to watch - don't forget the martinis.
LGP

Purchased as a gift.......2007-01-13

My dad was always talking about how he wanted this boxed set on DVD since he found out it existed. Christmas rolled around and he hadn't mentioned it in a while, so I surprised him with it and he was thrilled. The set is very nicely packaged, very high quality, and looks very nice. Also, my dad was pleased to see a couple of the lesser known movies (he said two are very common on TV but the others you hardly ever see). He's very happy with it, and I am very happy with my purchase. Well worth the money!

Pink Panther Film Collecton.......2007-01-10

The package arrived in excellent shape and the DVD's are all perfect. If you like the Pink Panther its a great buy.

Star Wars Trilogy (Full Screen Edition with Bonus Disc)

Average customer rating:

One of the Best...Ever
Star fest
What can you say - Star Wars Trilogy is great
The "Not Quite So" Original Trilogy Finally Hits DVD
Star Wars Trilogy- Full Screen + Bonus Disc

Star Wars Trilogy (Full Screen Edition with Bonus Disc)
Starring: Carrie Fisher , Peter Mayhew , James Earl Jones , and Harrison Ford
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Sci-Fi Action | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B0001YRVN4
Release Date: 2004-09-21

Amazon.com essential video

Description

Disc 1: *Star Wars: A New Hope IV *Feature Film: Star Wars: A New Hope IV *Commentary by George Lucas, Ben Burtt, Dennis Muren, and Carrie Fisher

Disc 2: *The Empire Strikes Back V *Feature Film: The Empire Strikes Back V *Commentary by George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, Lawrence Kasdan, Ben Burtt, Dennis Muren, and Carrie Fisher

Disc 3: *Return of the Jedi VI *Feature Film: Return of the Jedi VI *Commentary by George Lucas, Lawrence Kasdan, Ben Burtt, Dennis Muren, and Carrie Fisher

Disc 4: *Bonus Disc includes the most comprehensive feature-length documentary ever produced on the Star Wars saga *Never-before-seen footage from the making of all three films, and much more

Customer Reviews:

One of the Best...Ever.......2007-09-04

Star fest.......2007-09-02

Compelling space saga with charismatic heroes, comely heroine and superb, creepy villain. State of the art (at the time) special effects. The work of a master movie maker. Kudos!

What can you say - Star Wars Trilogy is great.......2007-08-29

What can you say - Star Wars Trilogy is great.

Sure the acting is subpower in all the Star Wars movies IMHO. But the story line is awesome.

The "Not Quite So" Original Trilogy Finally Hits DVD.......2007-08-16

Star Wars Trilogy- Full Screen + Bonus Disc.......2007-08-10

Product arrived quickly and is in great condition! Our whole family loves it! Would order from this company again.

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (Dimension Collector's Series)

Average customer rating:

come on lunchbox, we're going to hollywood!
Kevin Smith....
great
Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back.
That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously. Stopping the flick isn't gonna stop that.

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (Dimension Collector's Series)
Starring: Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back , Diedrich Bader , Jason Biggs , George Carlin , and Matt Damon
Director: Kevin Smith
Manufacturer: Dimension
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Satire | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Carlin,